Local News

Iroquois citizens tired of mean-spirited leadership

Public input just may be the best thing on the agenda for Tuesday's (10-14) Iroquois County Board meeting. The 9 o'clock meeting is the Administrative Center in Watseka.

A public outburst is what many believe is needed to put a stop to what several emergency responders say is a "crash & burn agenda."

Volunteer professionals serving on governing boards are expressing their disgust in being labeled as "incompetent, neglecting their duties, mismanaging their responsibilities."

That was the accusation from County Board Chairman Rod Copas about the former Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department. Now, it's the 9-1-1- Board under fire. Copas has pointed to "mismanagement" and 911 members "unwilling to work with the County Board.

Several members of the boards and emergency responders take exception with the accusation that they're neglectful or mismanaging their duties.

Some say it's impossible to work with someone with a "seek and destroy agenda."

Human remains found on Fowler property

Police were combing a property site in Fowler, IN Saturday morning; a site neighbors report may have contained human remains.

Local law enforcement were searching the yard that belonged to the daughter of 68-year-old Nena Metoyer who was reported missing several weeks ago.

Authorities are not saying much, but neighbors said they discovered what are believed to be human remains.

Detectives aren't saying much about where the remains were found or if they're the remains of Metoyer.Police said Metoyer came to Fowler from Florida in late August to take care of her daughter, 49-year-old Teresa Jarding, who had been suffering from medical issues. One neighbor said she's lived in the neighborhood for nearly three years and had never met Jarding or her family.

Jarding died from medical complications just shortly after Metoyer was reported missing.

As reported earlier, Fowler police believe this case is related to a missing person case from Chicago.51-year-old Milan Lekich was reported missing two years ago from Chicago and police said is Jarding's ex-husband. Earlier this week, a dismembered body was found inside the garage of the home where Lekich last lived. Police have still not confirmed that it is in fact the body of Lekich.

Monday morning fog followed by storms Monday night

A blanket of fog covered much of central-Illinois this (Mon) morning. A warm front brought the fog, which should lift by late-morning.

Showers and thunderstorms are likely through early Monday evening as a strong storm system approaches Central Illinois. Current indications suggest the potential for severe weather will exist late Monday afternoon and into the evening. The primary threat is damaging wind gusts, possibly as high as 60 miles per hour.

The storm system is expected to drop as much as 1.5 inches of rain on the area through Wednesday.Occasional showers and thunderstorms are in Tuesday's forecast with a high of around 65 degrees. Cooler temperatures are likely Wednesday through the weekend, with highs only around 64 degrees.

Copas still attacking former health department

Iroquois County Board Chairman Rod Copas says results of a forensic audit will show evidence of official misconduct by former employees of the since-dissolved Ford-Iroquois Public Health Department.

Copas told the County Board's Policy & Procedure committee (Thursday) an audit finding will be presented soon. Copas has said in past meetings "that actions were improper" and in his opinion "were criminal."

Copas did not say if there's any kind of a federal investigation underway.

The Illinois Attorney General's Office was involved in an investigation some time ago. The A-G elected not to pursue the case, a spokesman said 'there was nothing criminal.'

The Paxton Record newspaper has published several accounts of Copas' accusations over the last several months. The allegations range from contracts being awarded to health department employees, removing prescription medicine from the office and distributing drugs to staff and family, and use of grant money from the 2008 record-flood without proper documentation.

What has not been reported however, is that recipients of grant money included current employees of the new Iroquois County Health Department. The information was published on an Edgar County Watchdog website.